Lipophilic compositions such as flavor, perfume, coolant and disinfectant compositions are widely used either directly or in a variety of household products inclusive of cosmetics, oral and denture compositions, bleach, dishwashing, hard surface cleaning and laundry detergent products, etc. A common problem encountered with lipophilic compositions is that of improving surface substantivity or residuality of the lipophilic component. It would be desirable in many if not most household applications to enhance the surface residuality of the lipophile in order, for example, to provide increased flavor or perfume impact or increased antimicrobial efficacy.
Modern dental hygiene and denture preparations, for example, typically contain antiplaque and/or antitartar agents, as well as antimicrobial agents and flavorants. Antimicrobial action could affect plaque formation by either reducing the number of bacteria in the mouth/dentures or by killing those bacteria trapped in the film to prevent further growth and metabolism. Flavorants may alleviate the problem of bad breath via a deodorizing action. Some antimicrobial agents, e.g. menthol may, also serve as breath deodorizers. However, the efficacy of antimicrobial agents depends largely on their intraoral/denture retention, particularly their retention on the surface of the teeth or dentures where plaque is formed.
A typical disadvantage of known dental preparations is that only a relatively short time during which the teeth are being cleaned or the mouth is being rinsed is available for antimicrobial agents in the preparations to take effect. The problem is compounded by the fact that dentifrice preparations are used infrequently; most are used once or, perhaps, twice daily. Consequently, the long time period between brushings for a majority of the population provides optimum plaque forming conditions.
In many other personal and household applications, it would be desirable to provide enhanced surface substantivity. Laundry detergents, for example, would benefit by increasing perfume substantivity on fabrics so as to provide increased perfume impact on clothing after laundering or during use. Increased antimicrobial substantivity would also be beneficial from the viewpoint of reducing malodors associated with sweat or other soils. Enhanced perfume substantivity would also be valuable in fine fragrance and perfumed cosmetics. Enhanced coolant substantivity, on the other hand, would be beneficial in cough/cold products.
There has been a need, therefore, for developing lipophilic compositions which have improved surface residuality, impact and/or antimicrobial efficacy.
The use of lipophilic compounds such as perfumes, flavorants and the like in bleach-containing compositions can also raise a number of problems, especially loss of perfume or flavorant character or intensity as a result of interaction with the bleach. The efficacy of the bleaching agent can also be adversely effected. It would thus be desirable to improve the stability and effectiveness of bleach compositions containing bleach-sensitive ingredients.
It is known to include silicones in dentifrice compositions, allegedly to coat the teeth and prevent cavities and staining. For instance, GB-A-689,679 discloses a mouthwash containing an organopolysiloxane for preventing adhesion of, or for removing tars, stains, tartar and food particles from the teeth. The mouthwash may include antiseptic compounds, such as thymol, and flavoring and perfuming agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,814 discloses dental preparations including, in combination, a higher aliphatic acyl amide of an amino carboxylic acid compound as an active and a silicone compound. The patent notes that silicone compounds have been proposed for prevention of adhesion or to facilitate the removal of tars, stains, tartar and the like from teeth. The silicone compound is said to act as a synergist in improving the antibacterial and acid inhibiting activity of the active ingredient. Dimethyl polysiloxanes are said to be particularly effective. Flavoring oils and/or menthol may be included.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,120 discloses quaternary ammonium salts of cyclic siloxane polymers for use as cationic surfactants, bactericides and as anticariogenic agents.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a flavor, perfume, coolant, antimicrobial or other lipophilic composition having improved surface-substantivity, impact and/or efficacy.
The invention further provides a bleach composition comprising an inorganic persalt bleaching agent, and a lipophilic compound such as a flavorant and/or perfume and which has improved stability.